Effect of phase feeding methods on productive performance of Native breeder hens in intensive condition

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different feeding regimens on reproductive performance and production costs in Iranian native breeder hens during 25-64 weeks of age .The experimental design was a comp [ete!y randomized design which included 4 treatments (TI-T4) with unequal replicates. A breeder diet containing 2500 kcal tv'lE/kg and 15% CP fed from 25 to 64 weeks of age. Daily feed intake was 90 g for all treatments at 24 weeks 0 l' age. In all 4 treatments, with increasing age and level of egg production, feed allocation to birds was increased gradually with different intensities. According to this, daily feed allocation to breeder hens during peak production period (29­34 weeks of age) were 120,130,140 and 150g/day for treatments Tl to T4, respectively. Data were collected for percentage of egg production, egg weight, egg mass production, feed conversion ratio, fertility, hatchability, some of egg quality traits, live body weight at 65 weeks of age and economical evaluation of some reproductive traits. The results of this study showed that feeding regimens had no significant effects on mean of egg production percentage, egg mass production, hatchability, chick weight, chick weight to egg weight ratio, number of fertile eggs, number chicks per hen, egg shell strength, shell weight, egg shell weight to egg weight ratio and haugh unit index. However birds fed 150g/day during peak production period than group fed 120g/day, produced heavy eggs (53.7vs.52.8) and egg yolks (16.1 vs. 15.8) and had a higher fertility rate( 96 vs. 95%) during laying period, but had also a higher (p 0.05) feed conversion ratio (4.2 vs. 3.9). Higher feed intake caused increasing of live body weight, energy and protein intake per a chick, an egg and a fertile egg production. In points of economical view, feeding birds with regimen one in comparison to four caused increasing the cost of feed for producing I kg egg (7770 vs. 7140 RLS), one egg (419 vs. 362 RLS) and one chick (520 vs.477 RLS). These results demonstrated that daily feed intake of 120 g/day by Iranian native breeder hens during peak egg production can supply their requirements to achieve optimal reproductive performance.